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Description edit
Part romance, part mystery, part spiritual journey and all adventure, this novel examines the aspect of give and take, the trade balance that makes up so much of daily life.
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
In a compelling story of debt and redemption, Earthen Vessels follows American Maggie Boyce on an impetuous flight into the lush but lethal Colombian rain forest. The pretense of her journey is to find a medicinal plant to treat her sister's cancer. Her true purpose, however, is to buy some... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters/People edit
- Maggie Boyce: Colorado farm girl cum pharmecutical rep. Cancer has claimed her mother's life, and now threatens her sister's. She gets wind online of a plant growing in the jungles of Colombia that may have anti-cancer properties. When her employer deems the search for the plant too risky to be profitable, Maggie is the type of girl who goes after it herself. Finding herself in a primitive village, hiding out from the regional cocaine cartel, it occurs to her that she didn't really think this one through.
- Luis Vasallo: Not the stereotypical romantic hero, who arrogantly believes he alone can save a damsel in distress, who has no fears to face. Forced to make an unconscionable choice, Luis flounders to even know what is the right thing to do, and struggles for the courage to do it.
- Raul Delgado: Like a lot of people who do rotten things, he sees himself as just trying to get by in a world that's singled him out for unfair treatment. If he has to earn his living through drug deals or child prostitution, that's certainly not his fault.
Quotes edit
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“Raul would never keep his promise, but Luis wanted so badly to believe he would. It had been so long he couldn’t be sure, but this felt a little like hope.”
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“She was once again aiming the pistol at him. He stood there, his arms limp, his chest out thrust out just enough to say, "Here's my heart, here's your target." His lips never moved, but still she heard him saying, "For God's sake, put me out of this misery."”
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“Instead of enjoying the many pleasures of the flesh with her, he’d left her lying there, exposed and vulnerable and humiliated. She had half a mind to not try it again.”
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“Maggie examined the evening's dinner offering of snake steak on a stick. She held the chunk of meat at eye level, facing her fear … and eating it, taking a bite out of the snake that had threatened to take a bite out of her.”
Organizations edit
- Mongabay.com: The cover photo was taken by Rhett Butler of Mongabay.com. This organization seeks to raise interest in wildlife and wildlands
First Sentence edit
(Incidentally, this is also the last sentence of the novel.) "Maggie just had to get some sleep."
Themes & Symbolism edit
- Life as a series of exchanges: What is the value of hope and freedom and human dignity, and what is the value of life without them? We travel through life giving up what we have for what we think we'd rather have. This is a story about the series of exchanges that make up the balance of life.
Subjects edit
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